Smooth Criminal
by J.C3
Summary: Curses! Something has happened to Annie!! Song fic. Takes place after Episode II, and focuses mostly around Obi-wan and Padme. Rated PG, just to be safe.


Smooth Criminal  
  
Characters created by George Lucas Song property of Michael Jackson A Song Fic by Julie Constantine  
  
As he came into the window  
  
Was a sound of a crescendo  
  
He came into his apartment  
  
He left the bloodstains on the carpet  
  
He was sitting at the table  
  
He could see he was unable  
  
So he ran into the bedroom  
  
He was struck down  
  
It was is doom  
  
~~~  
  
The flashing police lights, of course, weren't an uncommon sight on Coruscant. People became so accustomed to them, in fact, that they became a comfort. Sure, there was crime, but the government was doing something about it, as easily evidenced by the sleek Republic Protection Force speeders. Nevertheless, when Padme reached Anakin's apartment and saw the telltale signs of trouble, she was anything but comforted. Please, not now, she thought, not when I have something so important to tell you.  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
Are you OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
You OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
~~~  
  
What's going on? thought Obi-wan nervously, sensing Anakin's peril through the loud Force-buzz of the Coruscant nightlife. Anakin? Can you hear me? Are you all right?  
  
When no response came, Obi-wan grabbed his robe and rushed out of the room and to the turbolift of his apartment complex. I knew I shouldn't have let him get his own place.too much freedom is unhealthy for that kid.  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
Will you tell us that you're OK  
  
There's a sign at the window  
  
That he struck you  
  
A crescendo, Annie  
  
He came into your apartment  
  
He left the bloodstains on the carpet  
  
Then you ran into the bedroom  
  
You were struck down  
  
It was your doom  
  
~~~  
  
"Ma'am, can you tell us anything about Skywalker? Can you think of anyone who'd wanna do this to him?" The policeman glanced down at Anakin. He'd been beat up pretty badly - it looked like half his bones were broken from the angle at which his acid-burned body lay. Padme squeezed her eyes shut so she wouldn't have to look.  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
You've been hit by  
  
You've been struck by  
  
A smooth criminal  
  
~~~  
  
"I-I don't know!" She managed to choke out, still in immense shock. "He's a Jedi.there could be hundreds willing to do this!"  
  
"Well," said the policeman, jotting something down on his datapad, "He'd have to be a pretty smooth criminal to get past all the security in this place."  
  
~~~  
  
So they came into the outway  
  
It was Sunday  
  
What a black day  
  
I could feel your salutation  
  
Sounding heartbeats  
  
Intimidations  
  
~~~  
  
When Obi-wan arrived, he saw with unbelieving eyes a large group of paramedics, police, and Anakin's pajama-clad neighbors gathering in the lobby, talking amongst themselves. A stretcher was being rushed out to a med speeder. Walking alone, swollen-eyed, behind the stretcher was Senator Amidala. She looked up at him and tried to smile in salutation, but ended up bursting into tears and turned away quickly.  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
~~~  
  
Obi-wan didn't waste time with the Senator. He hurried over to the stretcher as they were about to put it in the med speeder. "Please, let me see him, please, you must let me through!"  
  
A Twi'lek paramedic looked up as if to protest, but when she saw Obi-wan's attire, she gave in and pulled back the sheet that had covered the victims face from the nosy crowd. The mangled person Obi-wan saw underneath was only recognizable by his Force-presence - and that was growing dimmer by the minute.  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
Will you tell us that you're OK  
  
There's a sign at the window  
  
That he struck you  
  
A crescendo, Annie  
  
He came into your apartment  
  
He left the bloodstains on the carpet  
  
Then you ran into the bedroom  
  
You were struck down  
  
It was your doom  
  
~~~  
  
Obi-wan placed his hand on Anakin's chest, channeled as much strength as he could into his padawan, took a few cleansing breaths and asked, "What happened?"  
  
Her lekku twitched irritably. She was really in no mood to take her time and tell stories. But, like most people, she wasn't one to challenge the authority of a Jedi Knight.  
  
"Break in - through the window - looks like he was overpowered, beaten up, and doused with some manner of acid - Grafaden, I'd say, judging by the coloring it left on his furniture. But, sir, we really must get him to some place more stable."  
  
"Of course," said Obi-wan, his eyes never leaving the scarred body of one so close to him. "Thank you."  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
You've been hit by  
  
You've been struck by  
  
A smooth criminal  
  
~~~  
  
Obi-wan didn't want to hold them up - but he didn't have real answers yet. He approached a policeman trying to console the sobbing Senator, and inquired after who they thought had done such a heinous crime.  
  
The news wasn't good. Of course, a more thorough search would be conducted later (it was early morning by now), but they had no leads at the moment. "I said it before, and I'll say it again." said the policeman thoughtfully, "That's gotta be one smooth criminal to do such a neat job of it. I mean, especially with Skywalker being a Jedi.You can sense things, right? I mean, you'd sense somebody tryin' ta kill you, right?"  
  
Unless they were very strong in the Force.Obi-wan mused silently. He made no reply, but wrapped his arm around Padme. She seemed very preoccupied, as if Anakin wasn't the only thing troubling her.  
  
"Excuse me," she muttered abruptly, and rushed behind the counter in the lobby, throwing up. Obi-wan's suspicions grew.  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
Will you tell us that you're OK  
  
There's a sign at the window  
  
That he struck you  
  
A crescendo, Annie  
  
He came into your apartment  
  
He left the bloodstains on the carpet  
  
Then you ran into the bedroom  
  
You were struck down  
  
It was your doom  
  
~~~  
  
Weeks later, after intense bacta treatments, organ replacements, and daily physical therapy appointments, Anakin was fit enough to receive visitors. There was one catch - he was too weak to leave a special, pressurized room. It had large windows, however, so Obi-wan and Padme were able to speak through a comlink and view their unfortunate friend. Obi-wan and Padme had spent a lot of time together since the attack, so they Padme felt more comfortable showing Anakin some much needed affection.  
  
"Gods, I've missed you," Anakin moaned through a breathing mask feeding extra oxygen to his brain, "Both of you."  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
~~~  
  
After an hour or so of the expected 'catching up', Obi-wan asked the question that had been on his mind for over a month, "Anakin.do you have any idea who was behind this?"  
  
Anakin looked thoughtful for a minute. Obi-wan would have sworn Anakin knew exactly who his attacker was. Why wouldn't he say? "I really don't have any idea, Master. It, I'm ashamed to admit, happened too fast.I sensed nothing, and then suddenly, I was on the ground, knocked out. I didn't have time to sense him."  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
~~~  
  
"You know, from a certain point of view, we're lucky he was in that room, isolated. The half wall kept your lower half covered."  
  
Padme was astonished. She followed Obi-wan into her personal speeder and they told the driver their destination. After she closed the connection to the driver's seat, she asked incredulously, "How can you say that?"  
  
Obi-wan looked pained, not at Padme's disbelief, but from what he was about to say. "I think it's best we keep your condition a secret until we know a little more about Anakin's.spiritual condition. I think he knows."  
  
Padme looked anxiously at him, willing him to continue.  
  
"What I'm saying is, what if he knew who his attacker was? I'm almost positive he does. I think he's covering up for him."  
  
"What?! Master Kenobi.Obi-wan.you can't be serious."  
  
"But I am. Before the attack, Anakin was changing.becoming even more reclusive, impetuous.darker. You must have noticed it yourself. I think this may be the last step in that transformation."  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
~~~  
  
Even without the loud tolling of heavy metal doors opening and shutting to preserve the pressure, it was impossible to sneak up on Anakin Skywalker. Therefore, he was getting impatient as the long process drew out, his visitor slowly nearing him.  
  
"I was beginning to think you'd never come, Master," drawled Anakin, lazily. He was a bit annoyed with the Supreme Chancellor's hesitance in coming to see him.  
  
"For the sake of preserving this little secret of ours, young one-"  
  
"Don't call me that." Anakin interrupted, dropping his gaze to the sheets.  
  
Palpatine continued as if nothing had happened, "It was necessary I wait until allotted visiting days. And I was caught in the hall by young Senator Amidala and her Jedi escort as I entered the hospital. They seemed to want to chat a bit. So you see, I came as soon as I could."  
  
After a pause, he continued, "Now, I thought we'd do something fun for starters today. Which model do you like?" He held up a data pad so the ailing Anakin could see its contents - what appeared to be four suits of armor.  
  
"The black one," said Anakin confidently, "Definitely the black one."  
  
~~~  
  
Annie, are you OK  
  
You OK  
  
Are you OK, Annie  
  
~~~FIN~~~  
  
Hmmm...This one deserves a bit of an explanation. First of all, I've always felt it was very unfortunate to give a little boy a nickname like "Annie", and that partly fueled my desire to write this. Also, May 16th I was ::gasps in horror:: watching MTV! They were broadcasting from Skywalker Ranch, and I caught the end of it when they showed clips of Smooth Criminal (Alien Ant Farm's cover). Apparently, people had voted that song as most congruous with Palpatine's character? Hehe, well, I thought that was kind of funny, especially since it has the name "Annie" scattered throughout it. All I had to do was change a few pronouns and viola! Instant song fic!  
  
Tehehehe.Yes, yes, I know that's not how it happened, but amusing, isn't it? I think so. Maybe you don't. Whatever. Write a review and tell me what you think! 


End file.
